Emeritus Faculty Scrolls Ceremony
On April 26th, the President and Provost recognized 28 new emeriti colleagues to the Emeritus College with scrolls, the numbers represent all eight colleges and 21 departments. In addition, 25 special ranked faculty (senior lecturers, professors of practice, lecturers) retired and will join the Emeritus College. The ceremony included the awarding of the Distinguished Emeritus of the year, and the induction of five new I.D. Eubanks Emeritus College fellows. The keynote speaker was Tony Wagner, Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations for Clemson University.
Kenelly-Voss Distinguished Emeritus Award
The Kenelly-Voss Distinguished Emeritus Award was established by the late John Kenelly to recognize emeritus faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to the Emeritus College, Clemson University, the greater Clemson community, and to society. The award pays tribute to John’s late wife, Charmaine Voss. The award provides $500 toward a donation to a Clemson University program of interest of the awardee in the recipient’s name.
Dr Elaine Richardson.
Dr. Elaine Richardson, Professor Emerita of Animal and Veterinary Sciences and Director, Academic Success Center. Elaine was named the first director of the Academic Success Center, building a program that received numerous national awards. Dr. Richardson publishes and presents on learning assistance collaborations across campus; much of her earlier work included Universal Design and building programs to enhance academic performance and retention. After serving as president of National College Learning Center Association (NCLCA), Dr. Richardson led the development of NCLCA’s Centers of Excellence Certification program. Elaine continues to serve NCLCA as a certification reviewer and on the Past Presidents Council. In 2019, she received the NCLCA Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2020 was named a Clemson Emeritus College Fellow and a Fellow of the Council of Learning Assistance and Developmental Education Associations (CLADEA). Dr. Richardson is the chair of the Undergraduate Committee of the Emeritus College and has developed ongoing relationships with campus leaders, hosted panel discussions between transfer students and emeriti faculty. She is spearheading a task force to examine how the emeritus faculty can support statewide programs such as Inside/Out and second chance programs offered at by the SC technical college system, Furman and Southern Wesleyan University. Dr Richardson was an invited presenter to the SC Senate Department of Corrections Oversight subcommittee and has been appointed by Governor McMaster (2018) to the Palmetto Unified School District Board, the oversight Board for the SC Department of Corrections.
The I. Dwayne Eubanks Fellow Award
The designation Emeritus College Fellow was created to honor emeritus faculty members each year who steadily render valuable service to the Emeritus College and to Clemson University without compensation. It is named in honor of I. Dwaine Eubanks, former Executive Director of the Emeritus College. The five fellows elected for 2022 are: Dr. Victoria Ridgeway Gillis, Dr. Donald McKale, Ms. Marty Duckenfield, Dr. Michael Ellis, and Dr. Robert Hogan.
Dr. Victoria Ridgeway Gillis
Dr. Gillis, Professor Emerita of Literacy and Learning and director of the Center for Excellence in Literacy and Learning. Dr. Gillis provides insight and problem-solving skills that contribute to the ongoing operations and successful programming of the Emeritus College. As the chair of the Emeritus College 20th Anniversary Task Force, she is leading the effort to create a collection of essays by emeritus faculty. The 20th Anniversary project, Moments and Memories of Clemson University Faculty, is a collection of emeriti’s stories incorporating memories or moments of their professional lives as members of the Clemson University faculty. The essays paint a collective portrait of Clemson during the past six decades. As one of our colleagues has suggested, faculty memories reveal interesting and essential elements about the fabric of our lives and careers at the University.
In addition, Dr. Gillis serves on the Emeritus College Advisory Board; has contributed to the programming of the Emeritus College with several presentations including presentations on reading and literacy issues, and the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Quilts of Valor, made by Victoria, honor many of the veterans that served in Vietnam, some of whom had been classmates of Victoria’s. During the Emeritus Day ceremony, Dr. Gillis presented to the Emeritus College a quilt based on the framework of the Quilts of Valor to be displayed in the College.
Dr. Donald McKale
Dr. McKale, Professor Emeritus of History, has served on the Emeritus College Advisory Board, which he chaired in 2019-2020. He also served on the Executive Director Search Committee and Program Planning committee. Don is always willing to lend a hand when the college needs help. Dr. McKale was honored with his selection as an honorary member of the Class of ’39 in 2006. In 2017, Dr. McKale published a guest column in the Greenville News about Ben Skardon as Ben celebrated his 100th birthday. It is Dr. McKale’s ongoing relationship with the University and the Emeritus College that is recognized in his selection as a Eubanks Fellow.
Don is an active member of the Clemson Sertoma Club, serving as Board Chair, as well as the working with the annual Christmas Tree sales project for the Sertoma Club. The funds raised by Sertoma support Camp Hope, providing wonderful life changing opportunities for children with hearing disabilities. Camp Hope occurs each summer at Clemson’s Outdoor Lab. Dr. McKale has been a long-time supporter of Boy Scout Troop 235 helping raise funds in support of scouting events.
Ms. Marty Duckenfield
Ms. Duckenfield currently serves on the Emeritus College Advisory Board; a member of the Program Committee and the task force for the 20th Anniversary of the Emeritus College. As an outreach of the planning committee, Ms. Duckenfield identified and promoted special interest groups for emeriti. She leads the Memoir Writing group for the Emeritus College. This interest group supports individuals as they write their memoirs. The positive work and conversations in the groups monthly meetings led to the adoption of the 20th anniversary project. Marty’s creativity and her abilities to encourage others to write makes a difference for emeritus colleagues. The Christopher J. Duckenfield Scholarship Program, funded by Marty and her family, support two students each year to St. Peter’s College in Oxford England. Marty has arranged for graduates of the program to make presentations to the Emeritus College, creating a valuable connection with Oxford. ZOOM allows St Peter’s College faculty to join us as their former students report on their research and life changing experiences the Duckenfield Scholarship Program provides.
Dr. Michael Ellison
Dr. Ellison, Professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering, currently serves on the Emeritus College Advisory Board and as a current member of the Emeritus College Awards Committee. Dr. Ellison is known for his strong commitment to interdisciplinary research. Prior to his retirement in 2014, Dr. Ellison served as interim director of the School of MS&E. He led an interdisciplinary research team studying biologically inspired advanced materials. Dr. Ellison continues this commitment to interdisciplinary work in the Emeritus College promoting and encouraging programs and activities that engage faculty from across disciplines. A primary goal of the college is to reach out and engage with faculty from all colleges and departments, and Mike supports these efforts. Dr. Ellison received the Theodore von Karman Fellowship of Exploratory Research Space at RWTH Achen University.
Dr. Robert Hogan
Dr. Robert Hogan, Professor Emeritus of Architecture, served as Associate Chair of the School of Architecture, director of undergraduate studies, and acting associate dean of the college prior to his retirement in 2015. Dr. Hogan serves on the Emeritus College Advisory Board. He has served five years as a member of the Emeritus College Awards Committee and now is its chair. In addition, Bob is the faculty advisor for the student chapter of Habitat for Humanity Homecoming build on Bowman’s field, having been in involved with the project for almost 30 years. Dr. Hogan continues to serve as an advisor for Alpha Phi Omega, the Service fraternity on Clemson’s campus. Dr. Hogan consistently demonstrates his leadership, work ethic and strong commitment to serving the Emeritus College and Clemson University.
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